Michael Ball, DVM

Michael A. Ball, DVM, completed an internship in medicine and surgery and an internship in anesthesia at the University of Georgia in 1994, a residency in internal medicine, and graduate work in pharmacology at Cornell University in 1997, and was on staff at Cornell before starting Early Winter Equine Medicine & Surgery located in Ithaca, N.Y. He is also an FEI veterinarian and works internationally with the United States Equestrian Team.

Articles by Michael Ball

The titles of numerous news stories in Florida papers during a few weeks in October shared some common words--Eastern equine encephalomyelitis. The disease has been responsible for several human deaths recently in Florida, and while in Orlando Read More

The first thought that comes to most people when the word "herpes" is mentioned is one of those nagging pain-in-the-neck cold sores, one type of which is caused by a herpes virus, and the venereal disease "herpes simplex." The word "herpes" Read More

Although the suspensory is considered a ligament, it is appropriate to discuss this structure in our tendon series since technically it is a vestigial ("existing as a rudimentary structure") tendon. To review the anatomy, the suspensory Read More

Electric fence wire, barbed wire, sheet metal...What do these things have in common? They all have caused catastrophic tendon injuries in horses. The structure and function of tendons, as well as flexor tendon desmitis, were reviewed in the Read More

Hematoma is a word most of us have heard at some point in time, in reference to a swelling on a horse or yourself. But what is it, and how does it affect your horse? This article will discuss some of the conditions or diseases in horses that Read More

A common question among horse owners and veterinary students is: When is it appropriate to bandage a leg or wound and, if it is, what is the best material with which to bandage it? There is an ever-growing variety of commercial bandaging materia Read More

Pseudomonas is a bacteria family that can cause many types of illnesses, from loss of sight to reproductive problems to death. Members of the genus Pseudomonas are commonly found in aquatic habitats (wet areas Read More

The Caslick procedure of surgically closing the upper part of the vulva has been commonly practiced on broodmares for the past 60 years. The procedure evolved in an effort to treat what E. A. Caslick, DVM, had observed--the negative effect that Read More

Currently, vision testing in horses is not an exact science. The main goal of the ophthalmic examination is to identify abnormalities of the eye and speculate on how they could affect the vision based on known structure and function of the eye. Read More

Trans-tracheal "wash," or aspiration, is a valuable diagnostic procedure that is often performed in order to better guide the treatment of difficult or chronic lung disorders. It can be used to aid in the diagnosis of pneumonia, and potentially Read More

Q: My horse was sound when he was turned out one night, and the next morning he was lame in the hind end. It took quite a few diagnostics by my veterinarian before it was determined that he had suffered a slight pelvic fracture. How common is this... Read More

Pain is defined as "a feeling of distress, suffering, or agony caused by stimulation of specialized nerve endings." The scientific term for the perception of pain is "nociception," with noci the Latin for "harm or injury."

Any horse which is sick and suspected of having a contagious disease should be immediately isolated from the healthy stock. If possible, a single person should be assigned to the care of this animal, and that person should be educated to use proper Read More

Featured Adoptable Horse

Luna

Luna needs a gig as a companion horse. She had a jumping injury that has weakened her hind end making her a horse not suitable to ride. hard to say if there is rehab that can be done but we don't think so - so she needs s pasture pet job Read More